1-2-1 Supervisory Meeting 7

Beverley Thomas Critical Research Journal for Falmouth University MA Photography

This blog is being made as part of an accredited educational programme.

(Week 26) 25/11/2020

“the age of the photograph is also the age of revolution, contestations, assassinations, explosions,” – Roland Barthes

1-2-1 Supervisory Meeting 7

This was my last meeting with Dr Wendy McMurdo before assignment hand in date. Wendy has advised me to make final preparations toward my Final Major Project (FMP) Artefact. Over the course of the FMP module, Wendy’s advice has been invaluable. As I consider my final submission, it was good to be able to speak to someone who over the course of the past 26 weeks, has provided me with an honest critical analysis of my work. Although the end aim is to pass the MA, it is not as important as it previously was when I started, no longer do I feel that I need to prove myself as a photographic practitioner. Of course, I want to pass but for me the constructive criticism that I have received from Wendy and others has helped push my work into this new direction.

In Camera Lucida, Barthes refers to photographers, he said “All those young photographers who are at work in the world, determined upon the capture of actuality, do not know they are agents of Death.” (Barthes 2000: Pg. 92) A question relevant to my photograms, in that case was I an agent of death? or was I trying to preserve life? A question I found myself answering, shortly after this meeting I attended a family funeral and during the service, it was spoken that photographs play a major part in people’s lives. Indeed, photography has intruded into our modern society and at the same time enabled us to create visual memories that can be retraced and immortalised.

The photographic industry will continue in a state of constant change, immortalising and sometime demoralising. However, I have learnt to re-invent myself and readily adapted with the changes and challenges ahead, “the age of the photograph is also the age of revolution, contestations, assassinations, explosions,” (Barthes 2000: Pg 93.) This body of work has revolutionised my way of thinking and experimenting. Needless to say, I will continue with this subject matter long after the MA, and open new doors along my journey.

The selected changes need to be amended for a few reasons. The size and layout of the final images, as Wendy mentioned, I keep offsetting images. I know why and I explained, it was all down to habit. You see, when putting together digital wedding albums, I tend to build the storybook avoiding the centre placement of photographs. Next was the figure titles of the images, they were not needed as they distracted from the image and remove some of the installation images, including removal of the virtual exhibition set of images, leaving just my website preview and link. Last but not least, I need to mention in the feedback about future workshops, this is an important step forward for me to be able to deliver this alternative process and educate others.

Supervisory meeting to do

Date of Supervision Meeting	25/11/2020
Start time of Meeting	11am
Length of Meeting in minutes	30 Minutes
Meeting Notes & Action Points	1. Revise PDF Layout and size, placement of images. 2. Remove some installation images as they are not needed. 3. Remove text and just leave figs/numbers only. 4. Seek feedback from others whom I would like to work with and contact them. 5. Add workshop paragraph within feedback. 6. Submit FMP PDF Artefact.
Date of Next Proposed Meeting	N/A